


Insert Obligatory Overly Sentimental Valentine's Day Card Here

by AshesAndDrums



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Mutual Pining, Past Relationship(s), Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-09
Updated: 2018-02-09
Packaged: 2019-03-15 17:56:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13618623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshesAndDrums/pseuds/AshesAndDrums
Summary: “You were right,” he puts the cards away and wraps his hands around his cup again. “All those years ago. I didn’t need to go after her.”She had been waiting for this, waiting for this part of the conversation to come up because it had plagued her. She thought about their fight a lot so it wasn’t hard to reply, “It’s not like I gave you a reason to stay.”-Or the one where Clarke and Bellamy broke up five years ago. They run into each other and maybe time is what they needed to come to terms with their feelings.





	Insert Obligatory Overly Sentimental Valentine's Day Card Here

**Author's Note:**

  * For [elle_stone](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elle_stone/gifts).



> Happy Bellarke Secret Valentine's Day!

The store on the corner was surprisingly empty considering it was the weekend. Clarke walks in and immediately heads for the ever rotating holiday aisles as she texts Raven.

 

**Clarke** : Is it weird that I’m excited about this?

I mean

I’m a doctor.

I heal people for a living.

 

**Raven** : Nah it’s really cool

I mean, totally lame because Valentine’s Day is bullshit

But this is really cool in a non-bullshit way

Plus you gotta show your mom you can put that art minor to use

 

Clarke snorts before typing out a ‘ _thanks_ ’ in reply. She pockets her phone before looking at the wall of red, pink, and white greeting cards. Some are big and overtly cheesy while some are just simple with classic hearts on the front. Clarke scans them, looking for a set in particular.

Back at the beginning of December, Wonkru Greeting Cards hosted an event for writers and artists across the nation. Writers that signed up could send in a set of five potential Valentine’s Day cards to be sold together and once the company cleared and selected the handful of “winners” they were then released to the artists. The artists then picked a set and designed cohesive cards for the five they picked using any medium of their choice. It was good marketing for Wonkru, a great way for undiscovered talent to showcase themselves, and had been tons of fun for Clarke. The cards were released in stores at the start of February and Clarke was determined to see her finished product in person.

As she walks down the aisle, a couple words and phrases in the stands grab her attention and she recognizes them from the site as ones she passed on. Further and further down the row she goes until, finally, she finds the set she’s looking for and reaches out to grab one when someone who had been coming from the opposite end of the aisle reaches for it too.

“Oh sorry - Bellamy!?”

The man in question stares at her for a minute and Clarke is pretty sure his shocked expression is mirrored on her face. He pulls his hand back to rub the back of his neck, the familiarity sending a twinge through her.

“Hey Clarke.”

They‘re silent as they just stare at each other, taking each other in.

Five years. It had been five years since Clarke had seen Bellamy Blake. Since they had a huge fight and she more or less broke up with him and he left town. He’s changed in that time, looks more grown up. He’s wearing glasses now and his hair is a little longer than she remembers him liking it. But it’s still _Bellamy_. He seems to be cataloguing all of her differences and changes as well.

She decides to be the one to break the silence, “What are you doing here?”

His lips twitch, “At the store? Shopping.”

She manages to reign in the urge to roll her eyes, “Yeah, that’s exactly what I was asking.”

“I wrote these,” he says as he grabs the cards they had both been reaching for. “Wonkru Greeting Cards did this event-”

“I know,” she interrupts him and taps the cards in his hands with a finger, “I did the art on these.”

He looks down at them and then up at her with wide eyes, “Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

They’re quiet again and this time it’s broken by Bellamy’s chuckle. “Shit. What are the odds?”

“There’s probably a mathematical way to figure that out but I’m in too much shock right now to try,” she says, wry.

“That’s fair,” he glances around and she can tell he’s starting to get anxious. His tells haven’t changed all that much. She’s trying not think about how happy she is about that. “So I don’t know if you’re busy right now but would you maybe like to catch up? There’s a coffee shop right next door.”

“Grounders yeah, I know it,” Clarke is shocked she’s able to keep the bite out of her voice because, well, she’s not the one that _left_. Of course she knows there’s a coffee place next door. She grabs a set of the Valentine’s cards for herself and gestures towards the register, “After you.”

They check out and walk next door in practical silence save for awkward small talk about the weather. It’s after the morning rush and before the lunch crowd so there’s no line at the register. Once they’ve ordered they find a booth by the window to slide into, sitting opposite each other.

“So what brings you back here?” Clarke asks as she blows on her drink.

“A job actually,” he’s holding his cup with both of his hands and not making eye contact, “I started teaching high school in the area at the beginning of the school year.”

He looks up and she just blinks at him, “You moved back?” she did quick math in her head, “ _Seven months ago_? What about Octavia?”

He gives her a wry smile, “She got a gig and moved out to California. I, uh, I didn’t follow her this time.”

Clarke knows she must be gaping at him but for the second time today she can’t control her shock. Five years ago Octavia Blake had decided she wanted to pursue a career in acting and moved to New York. Bellamy, being the overbearing big brother that he was, wanted to followed her. It’s what started the fight that led to their breakup.

“In all fairness I did apply for positions out there,” he breezes on, “But this was a better opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. Plus we’ve been working on distance and boundaries over the years.”

“I’m happy to hear it,” she says and immediately regrets it. “Not that, I mean, I’m sorry you couldn’t go with her but I’m just… I just meant that I’m glad you finished your degree. I knew you’d make a great teacher.”

His smile is soft, “You did always have faith in me.” He clears his throat before continuing, “And what about you?”

“Finished med school, currently working as a doctor over at Arkadia Regional.”

“That’s awesome, Clarke.”

“Thank you.”

Bellamy glances at the plastic bags with their purchases that are sitting next to each other on the table. “And you still like to paint?”

“In my spare time which is very few and far between,” she starts to feel a flush work its way up her neck as he opens his pack and starts flipping through the cards. He seems to be examining every detail, every brush stroke she put into them.

“The writers never saw the finished products,” he says without glancing up at her, “These are amazing. Better than what I envisioned.”

“I thought of you,” her mouth says before her brain can catch up to stop her. And when he just looks at her she takes a breath to elaborate. “The words, the sayings… they reminded me of you,” she explains but it feels too big to leave it there so she adds, “and your shitty Greek and Roman influence.”

He cracks a small smile before turning to look at the cards again, effectively not looking at her when he says, “I thought of you when I wrote them.”

They’re silent again and it’s then that Clarke decides she hates it. Hates that they aren’t able to communicate like they used to. Hates that she can’t completely read him like she used to. She knows they’re tiptoeing around it, around the bigger issues left unsaid five years ago.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone you were back?” she asks, trying to inject some light teasing into her tone but it comes out too soft.

“Miller knew,” he says, “But beyond that I wasn’t sure anyone would want to see me.”

Anger courses through her then. “You still had friends here, Bellamy,” she snaps, not able to reign in the fierce look in her eyes.

“I know. Plus, you were right,” he says quietly. So quietly that Clarke isn’t sure if she heard him over mentally berating herself for her outburst.

“Hm?”

“You were right,” he puts the cards away and wraps his hands around his cup again. “All those years ago. I didn’t need to go after her.”

She had been waiting for this, waiting for this part of the conversation to come up because it had plagued her. She thought about their fight a lot so it wasn’t hard to reply, “It’s not like I gave you a reason to stay.”

“Clarke-”

“No, wait, let me get this out,” she holds up a hand before setting it back on the table. “I’m pretty sure I loved you back then. Or was on my way to loving you but couldn’t admit it to myself. When you mentioned following Octavia to New York I saw it as a sign you were bailing on our relationship and I latched onto that because I was scared. I was scared to move forward.” She chances a glance up at him and tries to muster up a smile, “How fucked up is that?”

He hesitates and then slides his hand on top of her’s, “Not as fucked up as being afraid of not knowing who you really are without your younger sister around.”

“Bellamy…”

“I guess we were both just emotionally constipated.”

They’re smiling at each other now and at some point Clarke must have turned her hand over because they’re holding hands across the table.

She realizes it first. “I’m really glad your back, Bell,” she says before giving his hand a quick squeeze and sliding her hand away.

“Me too, Princess.”

The old nickname sends another twinge through her but a good one this time. A hopeful one.

Before she can think on it she opens her own pack of cards and pulls out the one she wants to use before rummaging in her purse for a pen. She writes in the card, titling it so Bellamy can’t see, before closing it and stuffing it in one of the red envelopes, and licking it to seal it shut. Bellamy watches as she slides it across the table to him.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Bellamy,” she says and goes to stand up.

He picks up the envelope and flips it over and over in his hands, “Will it be?”

She shoots him a smile, “You’ll have to open your card and find out.” She turns to leave but not before she catches the start of a grin on his face.

Later that night when she’s getting ready for bed she receives a text from him.

 

**Bellamy** : You know I already had your number, right?

 

**Clarke** : Yeah, but you have to admit that was smooth

 

**Bellamy** : It was

So what are you doing on the 14th?

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
